Splash down in Germany & sponsorship from HEAD keeps ÖTILLÖ on the up

The swim-run specialists at ÖTILLÖ are on the up, with ‘a constant urge to develop new, unique races in unique places.’ After the recent introduction of Isles of Scilly Swimrun in the UK, the team is now introducing a new event in Germany – the 1000 Lakes Swimrun.

This is the first ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series event in Germany and it will have 8 qualification spots to the 2017 ÖTILLÖ, Swimrun World Championship in the archipelago of Stockholm, Sweden.

When looking for locations, the ÖTILLÖ organisation notes that it ‘wants to find special places but different places.’ The 1000 Lakes Swimrun is held in the Mecklenburger Seenplatte, less than 100km north of Berlin. The new race will be hosted on 23 October 2016.

The area boasts more than 3,000 lakes with drinking-quality water lined with beech trees. ÖTILLÖ adds that these trees will create an explosion of colour in the end of October and, as most of the lakes are quite protected, the athletes will have some ‘incredible reflections to swim in’. The forests are all on sand-based ground with an undulating landscape, which will ‘make for some fantastic trail running sections through very rural parts of old Germany.’

The access to the 1000 Lakes Swimrun is less than 90 minutes by train from Berlin and there are connections to and from Scandinavia by road. The finish will be in the town of Rheinsberg, and the racers will be transported to ‘an exceptional start on the morning of the race.’

The race course will include 14 swim sections; and almost 10K of swimming will balance out the 38K of ‘fast running through pristine forests’.

“Finally we can bring ÖTILLÖ to Germany, and thanks to the exceptional hospitality of the Mecklenburger Seenplatte we can put on a great show in a unique and beautiful place in Europe!” said Michael Lemmel, Race Director for ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Series.

HEAD as international partner HEAD Swimming and the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series have signed a 3-year contract for all official ÖTILLÖ Swimrun races in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

In 2013, ÖTILLÖ notes that HEAD developed the first real swimrun suit, and ‘today more than 50% of swimrun athletes are using HEAD SWIMRUN suits.’ The HEAD SWIMRUN line for 2016 will expand and knowledge from some of the best swimrun athletes is being ‘packed into these new products.’

Five women’s suits and five men’s suits plus a vest/pants combination will be presented in 2016.

“We are following the tremendous growth of swimrun in the Nordic countries, but also how fast this ‘wave’ of events is sweeping through Europe,” said Gerald Skrobanek, CEO at Mares – the company behind the HEAD brand.

“As a leading brand in this new sport, we like to push the sport. We believe, that it is a perfect combination between ÖTILLÖ, the founders of swimrun and a technical, innovative and powerful swimming brand, like HEAD.

He added, “Swimrun will have huge growth in the years to come and HEAD is proud to be the leading brand in this new endurance and adventure sport.’